Protesters burn tyres at Nehawu strike

Nehawu spokesperson Khaya Xaba said on Monday that the Social Development Department crumbled under Minister Bathabile Dlamini.

Speaking to ANN7 at a picket during Nehawu’s nationwide strike, Xaba stated the department has been crumbling Dlamini was busy with factional battles within the ANC.

Nehawu picketed outside the offices of Social Development in the Joburg CBD, burning tyres outside the offices.

“The issues that we are raising today, they are issues that we have been addressing with the department since 2015,” Xaba said. “The department has been treating us with arrogance. They haven’t been willing to sit with us and find good solution to the issues that we have raised”.

Nehawu has had several long-standing problems – some dating back to August 2015. Last month they sent through a memorandum of 13 demands which include fixing pay levels of various categories of employees, ensuring that certain allowances are paid and insourcing of Bosasa employees.

“We are now in the process of consulting our members in Sassa over their long-standing demands that have not been addressed by the employer in the same department.

Our members are already calling for a total indefinite shutdown of Sassa and union is considering this option. We are now calling for all our members and all social development employees to come out in support of their legitimate demands and their fighting union,” said Nehawu in a statement.